


the beat don't stop til the break of dawn

by neyvenger (jjjat3am)



Category: British Comedy RPF, Football RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-08
Updated: 2016-01-08
Packaged: 2018-05-12 14:47:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5669824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jjjat3am/pseuds/neyvenger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jamie and John, during and after their League of Their Own appearance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the beat don't stop til the break of dawn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Anemoi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anemoi/gifts).



> I have no excuse, except that Sharon and I needed more Barnes/Redknapp. 
> 
> John and Jamie used to take baths together when they were at Liverpool together. They were single baths. Vintage Liverpool was a wild place.

  


  


  


It’s the fifth time Jamie’s checked his hair in the mirror in the last half hour. He can see Jack smirking at him in the reflection from where he’s perched on the make-up chair, a cutting remark on his lips just waiting to escape. Jamie pays him no mind, checks his shirt again, discreetly smelling his breath for any undesirable qualities. He feels a little bit ridiculous, but also a lot excited.

  


It’s been a long while since he’s last seen John Barnes. 

  


He feels like a teenager with a date, which is ridiculous, since he’s now retired, a pundt for Sky Sports and star of a panel show. Arguably, he’s more successful than he’s ever been, and still, just the thought of John Barnes still turns him into a sweaty mess.

  


“...and here’s the dressing room, John!” he hears James say and turns around, almost too fast. 

  


John Barnes is standing in the doorway, listening to James speak, but then their eyes meet across the room and his mouth spreads in grin, when he catches sight of him, and Jamie feels just a little bit like he’s floating.

  


“Jamie’s been really excited to see you,” James says somewhere in the background, but Jamie’s too busy burying his head into a familiar shoulder to care about looking cool.

  


The thing about John is that it’s been years, but he hasn’t changed, not really. He still wears the same cologne that Jamie remembers from shared changing rooms around the country. Maybe his middle is a bit softer than it was, but his arms are still strong where they wrap around his middle and his grin is familiar in how it makes Jamie’s insides a bit melty. If he lingers a few seconds longer in the hug that’s strictly appropriate, well then, that’s just understandable.

  


He watches with pride as John gets introduced to Jack and Freddie and their teasing grins melt into something more genuine. That’s John’s magic, always has been; he can charm anyone, even a City and an Arsenal fan ready to tease.

  


The rehearsal for their musical performance is a lot more enjoyable than it has right to be. John is very impressed by his rapping prowess, after he laughs himself silly, that is. They brush against each other as they move back and forth, sharing elated grins when it all comes together.

  


They both giggle incessantly over their costumes, annoying the designer that’s set to dress them up. Jamie rolls up one of his tracksuit legs and John laughs so hard his make-up has to be reapplied.

  


Right before they’re set to go on stage, John stops him with a hand on his elbow. Jamie’s so nervous about not fucking up their performance that he almost vibrates out of his skin at the added stimulation.

  


“Easy,” John murmurs, reaches forward to adjust Jamie’s necklace, to push his hat to a more jaunty angle, brushing through the short hairs at the back of Jamie’s neck. “You’ll do fine.”

  


And it’s an echo of some other time, when Jamie was wearing some other costume, all 18 years old, the red pulling over his chest like the red of his rapidly pumping heart, when he’d jumped a foot in the air as John put a hand on the nape of his neck and whispered those same words into his ear. 

  


It calms him down, just like it did then.

  


“You’ve got my back, right?” he asks, and this time there’s no contingent of Frenchmen murmuring around them, just an impatient staff member, squinting at her papers.

  


John just grins and pulls him into a quick hug.

  


They smash it on their first try.

  
  


*

  
  


Jamie’s always touchy with the other guests, doesn’t know any other way to reassure them, make them comfortable in their motley crew of comedians and athletes, but it’s been awhile since he was so aware of anyone else on the panel.

  


John’s skin is warm beneath his hand and he leans into Jamie easily when they laugh. He’s always laughing, John. Jamie can’t stop watching the crinkles that form in the corner of his eyes. 

  


He thinks maybe James notices and that’s why he brings up the bathing story. Jamie’s tried to forget that he mentioned it that time when Robbie was on the show, hopes against hope that the heavy make-up is going to hide the flush he can feel on his cheeks.

  


He can still remember it clearly sometimes; the soft heat of the water, the way droplets had slipped down John’s smooth dark skin, how their shins would brush against each other when they shifted. The way John would throw his head back, relaxing, exposing the long column of his throat as Jamie stared and hoped against hope that his interest would be attributed to the heat of the water.

  


John slings his arm around him and pulls him into his side, laughing. From the way James’s grin widens, Jamie knows he hasn’t quite been able to disguise the dopey look on his face.

  
  


*

  
  


Usually, Jamie doesn’t linger at the studios after filming is done. Sometimes he goes for a pint with the other lads, and that’s always fun, but most of the time, he likes to go home, have a shower and dinner, relax. 

  


This time, he finds himself sticking close to John’s side as they change into more comfortable clothes, reminiscing about old times and gossiping about what their teammates are doing now.

  


“Robbie and Macca just moved in together,” Jamie offers, almost shyly, watching John’s reaction from the corner of his eye.

  


“About time!” John says, “We all knew it was coming from the time they were twenty. I’m surprised it took them so long.”

  


“Changing times and all,” Jamie says, quietly, collecting his bag and coat.

  


“Changing times indeed.” When he looks up, John is smiling, something soft in his expression. Jamie wonders what he sees as he looks at him; the eager young boy he’d been or the man who now had wrinkles round his eyes (Jamie knows they’re there - he’s counted them this morning).

  


They walk to the car, laughing and reminiscing, but fall into a curious hush when they step through the door and into the parking lot.

  


“So, uh, John,” Jamie says, swallowing a lump in his throat. He means to ask John out for a drink or maybe dinner, but as usual when he’s really nervous, the words won’t come out right. “Do you want to take a bath with me?”

  


He clamps his hand instinctively over his mouth when he realizes what he’s said and there’s a voice in his head laughing that sounds suspiciously like Jack.

  


“I don’t think they make baths big enough for that now,” John says, gently, and Jamie feels himself deflate, mentally cursing himself. “But my hotel room has a rather big shower, if you’re interested.”

  


Jamie looks up, blinking. John is grinning at him, bright and wide, his eyes dark in the yellow of the streetlight and as he watches, his tongue darts out briefly to lick his lips.

  


“I just might be,” he says.

  
  


*

  
  


The last time he’s made out with someone in the backseat of a car was when he was 23.

  


It was John Barnes then too.

**Author's Note:**

> Notes on the fic:  
> \- John and Jamie performed a lovely edition of Rapper's Delight [together](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1KQNUecm2o)  
> \- James is James Corden, the host of A League Of Their Own, Freddie and Jack are Freddie Flintoff and Jack Whitehall, regulars  
> \- John and Jamie used to bath together when he got to Liverpool. Jamie talks about it [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBAhUic1pGk).   
> \- Jamie made his Liverpool debut at 18, against Auxerre. A game they lost quite miserably actually.


End file.
